Extractor press



p 1941- w. G. FLEMING 2,254,517

EXTRACTOR PRESS I Filed Oct. 5, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 p w. G. FLEMING 2,254,517

EXTRACTOR PRESS Filed Oct. 5, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 gwuwwhom Sept. 2, 1941.

w. e. FLEMING- EXTRACTOR PRESS 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 3, 1939 Patented Sept. 2, 1941 IEXTRACTOR PRESS William Gage Fleming, Memphis, Tenn.

Application October 3, 1939, Serial No. 297,755 '2 Claims. .(cl. 100-47) This invention pertains to a prese t extract liquids from solids or semi-solids, such as oils :from cottonseed or other vegetable tissues.

A purpose of the invention is to provide an extractor that shall minimize the likelihood of '5 scorching meal from which oil is being extracted. In some presses there is such rubbing or ex tended frictional pressureas tends to alter the appearance and taste of the meal and oil under extraction. Further, a purpose of this invention is to construct a press that will produce oil with but slight clouding. It is an object to construct a press that is sufliciently sturdy to withstand high pressures in oil. An additional purpose is to devise a press of the nature described that shall be easily assembled or disassembled, and further to construct a press that shall require but minimum renewal of parts, or adjustment or attention during operation. Further, a purpose is to arrange pressing and filtering elements so that various materials may be used as operating surfaces accordingly as price or availability may be factors.

Reference is made to the accompanying drawings of a preferred embodiment of this invention. Salient novel features of this invention are pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 presents a lateral cross sectional View of the assembled press extractor;

Figure 2 presents a longitudinal cross sectional view of the assembled press'taken along the line 2---2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 presents an enlarged partial section showing communicating throats between a plurality of press units;

Figure 4 presents in perspective a pair of separator plates of which portions are shown in Fig ure 3; i F Figure 5 describes in perspective inseparable roll element for driving the press extractor and for conducting expressed oil;

Figure 6 describes in enlarged cross section a partial View of an inner crushing and filtering plate assembly of the extractor; Y

Figure 7 describes an alternative assembly of plates;

Figure 8 illustrates in perspective an alternative'form of an inner pressing and filtering cylinder assembled on a drive roll;

Figure 9 illustrates in perspective an alternative form of outer pressing and filtering cylinder.

In general, a press extractor under this invention is composed of plates circumferentially arranged to constitute an inner pressing cylinder,

with an outer series of plates mounted eccentrically about the inner plates. Preferably, the outer plates are" arranged with partitions to divert rneal lengthwise of theplates for progressive extraction. Preferably, also the entire series of inner plates is tied together in removable assembly by tie rods that are readily accessible. Similarly, the outer groups 'of plates are assembled as a unit by accessible tie rods.

The inner cylinder serves not'only asa driv ing element but is grooved to convey oil from the inner pressing and filtering plates. Further, ac-

cording to a preferred embodiment of this invention, the two series of plates, inner and the outer, are channeled radially by flaring the sides of individual plates away from the operating surfaces.

Referring particularly' to the drawings, the press as shown in Figure 2 comprises a 'pair'of stationar'yend plates l and 2 mounted upon a base 3. One end. plate at least is detachably mo'untedupon the base to permit assembly or removal of parts of the press. From bearings within these plates extends a drive shaft 4 to which is keyed a drive roll 5. A series of circum ierential plates 6 is secured snugly about this drive roll. 'I'hese'plates'B constitute an inner pressing and filtering cylinder the length of drive roll 5. This group of plates is tied together by a plurality of cross rods 1 having their ends countersunk within the outermost plates as shown in Figure 6. These plates rotate as a unit with the drive roll 5. Preferably, one or more of the central plates is bolted rigidly to the drive roll'5.

Disposed at intervals about the inner'plates 6 is a plurality of stationary separator plates 8 which rest upon the base of thepress 'and' cooperate with the end plates I and 2,'rcll 5 and cylinder 6' to form annular spaces or chambers arranged at like intervals between the'end plates and about the cylinder 6. Each of these plates contains a central circular opening to receive the inner cylinder 6. Such individual separator plates 8 areshown in Figure 4. Adjacent plates are connected by cross partitions or vanes 9 pinned in recesses within the central openings. These recesses form passages for the axial feed of meal between the spaces or chambers and the partitions or vanes serve as braces connecting adjacent plates together and as deflectors to divert meal from the space between one pair of plates to another as illustrated in Figure 3.

Mounted about the inner plates 6 and also about the diverting vanes 9 are outer longitudinal series of circumferential plates I0. Plates III are pinned rigidly by cross rods which tie plates I into groups and are mounted within a series of circumferential supporting rollers I I. These cross rollers I I extend through openings in the partition plates 8 and are mounted between the end plates I and 2. The outer cylinder of plates is mounted eccentrically with respect tothe inner cylinder of plates so that at one side is a considerable space between the two groups of plates. It is at thepoint of greatest space between these cylinders that the material to be pressed is introduced and also is conveyed from one group of separator plates to another, as is shown in Figure 1. The said outer cylinder, as shown, is divided into -sections,gthe sections being arranged in the annular chambers between the plates L2 and 8 and each section consists of a group of pressing plates Ill disposedv between adjacent partition plates or end and partition plates.

In order to provide forv adjustment of the spacing between filter plates .6 and III, shims I2 may be strung on the cross tie rods I. These shims determine the spacing of plates at their pressing and filtering surface as is illustrated in Figures 6 and 7.. In Figure 6 the individual plate ends are bevelled continuously from one sideto the other while in Figure 7 the individual plates are bevelled only to some inner point in the vicinity of the shims;

Conveyors such for example as helical conveyor I3 introduceseeds or the like from which oil is to be expressed. This material is introduced at the region of greatest spacing between the inner and outer rolls as shown in Figure 1. A similar conveyor I4 is mounted through the supporting plate I as is illustrated in Figure 3.

Provision for removing oil from the filtering and pressing plates 5 is found in conduits placed in the end plates I and 2. These comprise grooves or drain channels or passages I5 and I6 in the respective end plates I. and 2. The conduits also comprise grooves I! in the face of the inner ldriving roll 5. From these inner grooves I1, conduits I8 and I9 near the base of each end plate I and 2 communicate with :a cavity or reservoir 20 .at the bottom of the press. These conduits serve primarily the inner filtering face 6. Oil pressed through the outer series of plates I9 may fall directly into the reservoir '21] at the bottom of the press. 7

The present arrangement permits a compact assembly from which but a negligible amount of meal escapes into the oil collection system.

Thus in the end faces of the drive roll 5 is contained a circumferential groove to receive separator rings 2 I. These are in the nature of compression rings which may be forced against the adjacent surface by springs contained in the'ring groove. Further; there are analogous grooves and rings 22 in the end plates and the inner cyl'-' inder. 16.. There is also a similar pair of grooves and rings 23 in the :outer pressing surface III.

It will be observed that the construction and arrangement of'the end plates I and 2, roll 5, inner cylinder ii and partition plates 8 is such as to divide the interior of the casing into a series of annular spaces or chambers extending around the inner cylinder and arrangedside bysidean'd across which extend the partitions 9 at .a point in the'circumference of each chamber, each partition 5 breaking the annular continuity of the chamber across which it extends so as to provide said chamber with aninlet end and an outlet end. As shown, the inlet end of the right hand chamber formed by the end plate 2 and right hand partition 8 communicates with feed conveyer I3. The material fed from such conveyer thus enters this chamber at one side of the partition 9 and is carried around the chamber by the rotation of the roll and cylinders, between the acting surfaces of which it is subjected to a crushing and separating action, until it reaches the outlet end of the chamber at the opposite side of the partition 9 and is deflected by said partition into the inlet of the next adjoining chamber to the left through the feed passage in the right hand partition plate 8. The material then feeds in a similar manner within and around the second-named chamber, from the inlet to the outlet end thereof, and so on from chamber to chamber until it reaches the outlet end of the left hand chamber formed partly by the end plate I and left hand partition plate 8, the crushed and comminuted solid material discharging at this point into the outlet conveyer I4 by which it is carried off to a suitable point of deposit. The oil or other fluid expressed by the crushing action and which passes outward through the perforated outer cylinder, is discharged into the casing and fiows over said cylinder or down the plates I and 2 to the cavity 20, while the oil which passes from the space between the cylinders into the grooves II of the driving roll flows through the drain passages I6 and I! to the cavity 20; As a result of this novel construction of the press the material is caused to take a lengthy, circuitous or substantially spiral, course of travel in a comparatively narrow channel in which it is confined for a more effective crushing and separating action of the cylinder surfaces thereon and for a period long enough to ensure thorough crushing, without burning, of the solid material and the extraction .of all of the oil or other liquid contents therefrom. a v t r In Figures 8 and 9 are illustrated alternative .forms of inner and outer press cylinders. These are constructed essentially with the circumferential arrangement of press plates but with individual plates disposed lengthwise of the'face of the cylinders. Preferably these plates. are mounted angularly across the face of the cylinder. Thus in Figure 8 is illustrated anrinner cylinder composed of cross plates 23' pinned to a frame of an inner drive cylinder 5. The sides of these plates 23' are bevelled so that from their surface inwardly of the inner cylinder the specing between adjacent 'plates ,fiares, as has been described briefly in this specification. In Figure 9, the individual plates 24 are arranged to constitute' the inner surface of the outer press cylinder, with bevelled sides forming spaces that fiate outwardlyfrom the operating surface of plates 24. Arranged outside the cylinder of plates 24 is shown a reticulated plate 25 which serves generally as a series of hoops to strengthen the cylinder against pressure from within. These hoops preferably are bound together by cross ties 26 which, as shown in Figure 9, are integral with the circumferential elements 25, each group of plates 24 with surrounding hoops 25 and 26 is substituted for the respective groups of plates I0 between diverting ribs 8.

In operation, materialto be pressed, for example cottonseed; is introduced through conveyor I3 into the space between the inner and outer pressing plates. The inner cylinder 6 rotates from its connection through roll 5 with drive shaft 4. This rotation carries meal into the decreasing space between the rolls and through the area of substantial contact between the rolls; then the meal is carried frictionally into the increasing space between the inner and outer rolls. In the preferred embodiment illustrated in these drawings this partially pressed cottonseed is brought out into the space adjacent the cross bar 9. By contact with this cross bar the meal is diverted into the next series of plates and again is compressed between the eccentric series of inner and outer plates. This continues until finally the meal is removed through conveyor [4. During the series of pressings, oil is forced through the spaces between plates while meal remains. Thus not only separation but substantial filtering is accomplished. However, should some unavoidable minimal amount of meal escape between the plates the gradually increasing spacing at the faces of the plates permits this solid material to advance without clogging the filtering slots between the plates.

The present arrangement of plates permits considerable pressure to be imposed on the meal under treatment. The arrangement of plates, however, is capable of withstanding this pressure. At the same time it effects substantial separa tion of the expressed oil from the meal. In addition to this advantage in operation the press herein described is exceedingly simple to maintain. The plate faces wear but little and need not be renewed except after considerable use. Moreover, the facing between plates is readily adjustable by removal of the one end plate 2 to permit removal of plates of the inner series or of shims therein, or plates from the outer series or of shims therein. Thus there is effected ready replacement of individual elements and also ready adjustment of the filtered surface.

Whil in accordance with the patent statutes, I have described a preferred embodiment of this invention, it will now be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications and alterations may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. An extractor press having a press roll, an inner press cylinder arranged about the periphery of and concentric with the press roll and an outer press cylinder eccentrically mounted with respect to the press roll and inner cylinder, each cylinder being composed of a series of plates disposed circumferentially with slots therebetween to present a pressing and filtering surface for oily material contained between the cylinders, and a series of stationary partition plates interspersed at intervals between plates of the outer cylinder and having openings therein through which the press roll and inner cylinder extend and with the walls of which openings the inner cylinder contacts, said partition plates being also provided with feed passages connecting the spaces between adjacent partition plates and adjacent plates being connected by cross bars to deflect material being pressed from the space between one pair of divider plates through a feed passage to the space between an adjacent pair of partition plates.

2. An extractor press comprising a casing having a base and vertical end plates, a series of partition plates disposed in the-casing in spaced parallel relation to each other and to the end plates, said partition plates being provided with central circular openings therein having their walls provided with recesses forming feed passages, a driving roll journaled in the end plates and extending through the openings in the partition plates, a perforated inner cylinder in said openings and in contact with the Walls thereof, said roll, inner cylinder and plates cooperating to form a series of annular chambers about the inner cylinder and between the plates, adjacent chambers being in communication through the feed passages in the partition plates, an outer perforated cylinder mounted eccentrically with relation to the inner cylinder and comprising sections arranged in said chambers between and spaced by the plates, partitions arranged at an angle to the plane of the plates and each extending across a chamber between two adjacent plates to close communication between portions of the chamber and form said chamber with inlet and outlet ends, said partitions serving as defiectors for deflecting material through said feed passages from one chamber to another throughout the series, a feed device connected with one of the end chambers, and a discharge device connected with the other end chamber.

WILLIAM GAGE FLEMING. 

